Detachable ice-creeper.



PATENTED DEC. G, 1904.

i 63M' m* j@v/MM@ @JM UNITED STATES Patented December G, 1904.

JAMES E. TOSCAN, OF JAMESTOWN, NICVV YORK.

DETACHABLE ICE-CHEEPEFZ..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,874, dated December 6, 1904.

Application filed February 12,1904. Serial No. 193,256. (No model.)

To all 1.0710111/ 111 may cm1/cern:

Be it known that L JAMES E. Toso/iN, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Jamestown, county of Chautauqua, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Detachable Ice-Creeper, of which the following', taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to ice-Creepers which are detachable from the shoe; and the object of my improvement is to provide an icecreeper of simple construction which in a detachable part is locked to aretaining part on the slice when the spur-plate is in operative position on the heel or when folded, but which may be easily removed when the reversible spur-plate is raised-that is, I so forni my device that the reversible spur-plate forms the l'ock to hold the Creeper in place.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a shoe-sole with the Creeper in operative position on the heel. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the spur-plate raised in position to detach the Creeper. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the creeper sliding out from its metal holder.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spur-plate. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the metal holder. Fig. 7

is a plan view of the Creeper closed or folded onto the instep of a shoe.

Similar numerals refer to corresponding' parts in the several views.

The numeral 10 is the instep and heel of the sole of a shoe.

The ice-Creeper consists of the sheet-metal retaining part or holder 11, which has the two raised or flanged sides 12, with notches 13 op positel y formed therein. The rear end of holder 11 is turned upward in abroad hook 14C, as shown in Fig. 4,and the holder is attached to the shoesole by rivets or in any suitable manner. The detachable part of the Creeper consists of a sheet-metal piece 15, formed to fit Closely in holder 11, which piece has upturned sides 16, provided with notches17, which correspond to the notches 13 in holdei` 11. A forward end is turned downward in a hook 18, which hooks under the forward end of holder 11. Aleaffspring 19is attached near theforward end of piece 15 within the same, and I prefer to have it cover the entire space between sides 16, so that snow and mud cannot get under the same and hinder the working' of the reversible spur-plate 20.

Reversible spur-plate 2() is preferably made in the skeleton form shown in order to make it lig'ht and also to inclose the sides 12 and 1G. The spur-plate is mounted with cross-bar in notch 17 in piece 15 and beneath the spring 19, the opening 21 (see Fig. being just sufficient to receive spring 19 when the spurplate is raised and hold it in place during the process of` reversing' the same. In order to further hold the raised spur-plate lirmly in place, the side 22 of the cross-bar opposite opening 21 is extended out, forming notches 23, so that when spur-plate is raised spring 19 is also raised, as shown in Figs. 3 and f1, and holds the spur-plate lirmly in the raised position on the squared side 22 until it is desired to pass it on in either direction. N otches 23, each side of projection 22, are of sufficient height to allow plate 20 to pass over' sides 12 when the spur-plate is raised. as shown in Figs. 3 and 4C. Spur-plate 20 has suitable spurs 211 thereon, which lprefer to have made with the squared lower ends, as shown, as they engage and hold the ice as well as sharp spurs, yet do not puncture lioors and like su rfaces. The rear end of spring' 19 curved suii'icicntly to close therear end ofthe Creeper, as shown, against mud and ice, but does not extend down enough to interfere with the action of the spring'.

llt is now apparent that part 15, which fits holder 12, can be slipped into the same from the forward end when spur-plate 2O is raised, so that sides 12 will escape plate 2() in notches 23, as shown, and will pass backward until the rear end of part 15 is engaged and held by hook 14 and the forward end of holder 11 is engaged by hook 18. 1N hen in this position, as shown in Fig. 3, it can be instantly removed again by being' moved forward; but the springing' of plate 20 either forward or backward into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, or 7 will instantly lock the cross-bar of plate 20 in notches 17 and 13 of holder 12 and part 15, making the parts immovable. and since the creeper is always worn in either the folded or the open operative position when on the shoe it is always locked firmly in position. It can, however, be immediately and easily removed by simply raising` the spur-plate 2O to the upright position shown and then giving a firm push at the base of plate 2O near to the holder, which disengages part 15 from engagement with hooks 14 and 18.

Notch 13 in flange 12 on each side of plate 11 may be made of suiiicient length so that when plate 20 is raised and pushed forward it can move forward in notch 13 suficiently to disengage the rear end of plate 15 from hook 14, in which eventthe plate 15 can be raised directly out of flanged plate 11. I usually prefer, however, to make notch 13 just sufficiently wide to receive the cross-bar of spur-plate 20 and hold the same tightly'in place, sinceI find that when so constructed the detachable plate 15 is held more firmly in position by the locking crossbar. This is not usually sufficient to allow of the disengagement of the hook 14, and the notches 23 are accordingly necessary to escape the Hanged sides 12.

It is apparent that my ice-Creeper can be easily detached each time it is worn, if so desired. Such, however, is not the customary use of this article. It is usually only attached when there is an icy condition necessitating the same, and the remainder of the time!as, for instance, during the summer weather-the Creeper can be detached, and consequently is not being worn out nor encumbering the foot with its weight. The light sheet-metal retaining part or holder 12, which is permanently attached to the shoe, is experimentally found not to inconvenience the wearer on account of weight or size.

I claim as new- 1. An ice-Creeper consisting of, a retaining' part provided with a hooked end and side projections, a detachable part provided with an oppositely-hooked end to engage said retaining part and a spring thereon, and a spurplate reversibly mounted on said detachable part under said spring to lock and unlock against said projections.

2. An ice-creeper consisting of, aretainingplate provided with notched side flanges and an end hook, a detachable plate provided with similar side notches, a leaf-spring on said detachable plate betweensaid flanges and an opposite end hook to engage the retaining-plate, and a spur-plate pivotally mounted under said spring in said notches.

3. In a detachable ice-creeper, a flanged holding-plate attached to the shoe, a fianged detachable plate having engagements for said holding-plate and aspring thereon, and a spurplate pivotally mounted. on said detachable plate under said spring and having a projection thereon to clear said holding-flanges when the plate is raised.

4. In a detachable ice-Creeper, a flanged holding-plate attached to the shoe, a hook on said plate and oppositely-placed notches in said fianges, a detachable flanged plate to fit said holding-plate having a hook thereon and oppositely-placed notches in the flanges, a spur-plate mounted in said notches, a leafspring attached to the said detachable plate and holding said spur-plate, and said spurplate formed to allow the passage of said holding-flanges when the spur-plate is raised.

5. In a detachable ice-Creeper a holdingplate 11 attached to the shoe and having flanges 12 with notches 13 therein and a hook 14 for engaging the detachable part, a detachable plate 15 having iianges 16 with notches 17 therein and a hook 18 for engaging' holdingplate 11,' a spring 19 covering the entire space between flanges 16 and attached to plate 15, the rear end 19 curved to inclose the parts, a spur-plate 2O having notches 21 23 and projection 22 pivotally mounted in said flangenotches beneath said spring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' J AMES E. TOSGAN.

In presence of# A. IV. KETTLE, F. E. BALDWIN. 

